When someone thinks they're giving you a spelling lesson, but actually just doesn't know the reference.
Kidding aside, adding yet another layer of complexity to the mechanic by being able to cast creatures with incompleat as artifacts or non-artifacts is not what I'm aiming for. Incompleat already makes creatures better in that it gives them a range of different casting windows, being an artifact and by extension being susceptible to more removal helps balance this advantage. Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks for visiting my thread. I wanted to make a mechanic that showcased the Phyrexian idea of "Incompleat". The idea here is that casting something as incompleat allows you to cast a worsened version of the creature but at a cheaper cost. I created an iteration of my concept at all four rarities. As always, constructive criticism is welcome.
Incompleat X - Whenever you cast a creature with incompleat you may pay up to X less colorless mana to cast that creature. That creature enters the battlefield with X -1/-1 counters where X is the difference between the converted cost and the amount you paid.
Sample Cards
Ichor Titan6B
Artifact Creature- Titan (C)
Deathtouch
Incompleat 3 (You may pay up to 3 less to cast Ichor Titan. It enters the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter for each mana less spent to cast this spell).
6/6
Notes: At common and uncommon, many Incompleat creatures would be vanilla/french vanilla creatures with limited flexibility as to when they are cast as determined by the value of the incompleat number. With Ichor Titan you can cast this from 3B for a 3/3 deathtouch to 6B for a 6/6 deathtouch.
Twinblade Engine3RR
Artifact Creature - Construct (U)
Double Strike
Incompleat 2 (You may pay up to 2 less to cast Twinblade Engine. It enters the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter for each mana less spent to cast this spell).
3/3
Notes: Twinblade Engine is another French Vanilla only here the incompleat mechanic is paired with double-strike allowing for 3 modes 1RR for a 1/1 double-strike, 2RR for a 2/2 double strike and 3RR for a 3/3 double strike. The final mode is the most efficient and like most of the incompleat designs the "compleat" version is intended to be the most value for your mana, but requires that you held off from the temptation to cast the creature early for less value.
Ichor-Growth Cultivator1G
Artifact Creature - Construct (R)
Infect
Incompleat 1 (You may pay up to 1 less to cast Ichor-Growth Cultivator. It enters the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter for each mana less spent to cast this spell).
T: Add one mana of any color. If Ichor-Growth Cultivator has a -1/-1 counter add G instead.
1/3
Notes: This card presents some interesting choices. You can cast it on turn 1 for G for a 0/2 ramping creature that taps for G or you can cast it on turn 2 to get the full value of the creature (1/3, taps for any color). Infect also provides extra incentive to waiting until the second turn so that this can be an effective blocker that gives poison or -1/-1 counters.
Angel of Norn4WW
Artifact Creature - Angel (M)
Flying, Vigilance, Lifelink
Incompleat 3 (You may pay up to 3 less to cast Angel of Norn. It enters the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter for each mana less spent to cast this spell).
If Angel of Norn has no -1/-1 counters other creatures you control get +1/+1
5/6
Notes: Angel of Norn has considerable flexibility ranging from an Aerial Responder if played on turn 3 to a battlecruiser with an anthem included when played on turn 6. Like the other designs playing her in her "compleat" form is optimal but she has the ability to be cast at multiple costs.
Final notes: Most incompleat cards would have smaller incompleat values of 1 or 2 as the design is intended to provide flexibility in casting windows but generally not to the extreme of Angel of Norn as the idea isn't to have a ton of creatures which can be cast at a wide range of costs. I'm not trying to turn every creature into an Ivy Elemental variant. I thought making these colored artifact creatures would contribute to the phyrexian flavor of the cards and provide some additional synergies with artifacts matter themes (or Tinker) while making them more fragile against artifact removal.
When someone thinks they're giving you a spelling lesson, but actually just doesn't know the reference.
Kidding aside, adding yet another layer of complexity to the mechanic by being able to cast creatures with incompleat as artifacts or non-artifacts is not what I'm aiming for. Incompleat already makes creatures better in that it gives them a range of different casting windows, being an artifact and by extension being susceptible to more removal helps balance this advantage. Thanks for your feedback.
Incompleat X - Whenever you cast a creature with incompleat you may pay up to X less colorless mana to cast that creature. That creature enters the battlefield with X -1/-1 counters where X is the difference between the converted cost and the amount you paid.
Sample Cards
Ichor Titan 6B
Artifact Creature- Titan (C)
Deathtouch
Incompleat 3 (You may pay up to 3 less to cast Ichor Titan. It enters the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter for each mana less spent to cast this spell).
6/6
Notes: At common and uncommon, many Incompleat creatures would be vanilla/french vanilla creatures with limited flexibility as to when they are cast as determined by the value of the incompleat number. With Ichor Titan you can cast this from 3B for a 3/3 deathtouch to 6B for a 6/6 deathtouch.
Twinblade Engine 3RR
Artifact Creature - Construct (U)
Double Strike
Incompleat 2 (You may pay up to 2 less to cast Twinblade Engine. It enters the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter for each mana less spent to cast this spell).
3/3
Notes: Twinblade Engine is another French Vanilla only here the incompleat mechanic is paired with double-strike allowing for 3 modes 1RR for a 1/1 double-strike, 2RR for a 2/2 double strike and 3RR for a 3/3 double strike. The final mode is the most efficient and like most of the incompleat designs the "compleat" version is intended to be the most value for your mana, but requires that you held off from the temptation to cast the creature early for less value.
Ichor-Growth Cultivator 1G
Artifact Creature - Construct (R)
Infect
Incompleat 1 (You may pay up to 1 less to cast Ichor-Growth Cultivator. It enters the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter for each mana less spent to cast this spell).
T: Add one mana of any color. If Ichor-Growth Cultivator has a -1/-1 counter add G instead.
1/3
Notes: This card presents some interesting choices. You can cast it on turn 1 for G for a 0/2 ramping creature that taps for G or you can cast it on turn 2 to get the full value of the creature (1/3, taps for any color). Infect also provides extra incentive to waiting until the second turn so that this can be an effective blocker that gives poison or -1/-1 counters.
Angel of Norn 4WW
Artifact Creature - Angel (M)
Flying, Vigilance, Lifelink
Incompleat 3 (You may pay up to 3 less to cast Angel of Norn. It enters the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter for each mana less spent to cast this spell).
If Angel of Norn has no -1/-1 counters other creatures you control get +1/+1
5/6
Notes: Angel of Norn has considerable flexibility ranging from an Aerial Responder if played on turn 3 to a battlecruiser with an anthem included when played on turn 6. Like the other designs playing her in her "compleat" form is optimal but she has the ability to be cast at multiple costs.
Final notes: Most incompleat cards would have smaller incompleat values of 1 or 2 as the design is intended to provide flexibility in casting windows but generally not to the extreme of Angel of Norn as the idea isn't to have a ton of creatures which can be cast at a wide range of costs. I'm not trying to turn every creature into an Ivy Elemental variant. I thought making these colored artifact creatures would contribute to the phyrexian flavor of the cards and provide some additional synergies with artifacts matter themes (or Tinker) while making them more fragile against artifact removal.
Thanks for checking out my custom mechanic!